Elias

Whether you believe in astrology or not, there's something fascinating and true to be found in it regardless of your own superstition.

One basic idea in Chinese astrology is to divide time in 12-year-cycles.
And now that you have turned 24, you have just finished your second.

And as long as you live,

you will turn 36 in 2032,
you will turn 48 in 2044,
you will turn 60 in 2056,
you will turn 72 in 2068,
you will turn 84 in 2080,
you will turn 96 in 2092,
and so on, who knows...

And all these years will be a year that stands in the sign of your Chinese Zodiac, the Rat, and therefore hold something special for you, if you want to believe Chinese Astrology.

The same applies for me, only that I am born in the year of the pig which is one year earlier and ends the preceding cycle.

To understand what the year of the Rat means in Chinese Astrology, first some basics facts about the the rat:

The Rat is charming and very very bright. Each Year of the Rat marks the beginning of a new 12-year cycle in the Chinese Calendar.

One of the qualities of Rats is their quick-thinking and street-smarts, with a very charming disposition and a sense of adventure. Rats are persistent and always manage to keep a positive attitude even or specially during hard times. Rats are adaptable and that serves them well in times of adversity as they always strive to look for solutions.

As the leader of the zodiac, the Rat is a mover and a shaker. Known to take major risks in all areas of life, the Rat embraces every challenge in order to achieve growth. Loyal and innovative by nature, the Rat uses its sixth sense to propel it to success.

But let's take a look into what you might have (had) to expect in 2020:

This year may be a tad topsy turvy for you. Even though you think you may be able to handle every situation that comes your way, you’ll receive a curve ball that will change your life. With the right attitude, you can overcome adversity.

The Metal element, by its very nature, denotes strength, fortitude, stability... Metal seeks to reinforce and invigorate, it provides needed support and reinforcement.

As the beginning of the 12-year cycle, the Year of the Rat denotes a fresh start, a new beginning. This could mean anything from starting a new project, acquiring new habits, rebuilding lost friendships and relationships... It's up to you to make it happen, take all the chances that are presented to you, this is not the time to contemplate and be cautious, you have the wind on your back.*

Sounds not too bad, does it?

But keep in mind that this could still be totally unrelated to your reality.

A year is just a year, one circle of the earth around the sun, and each time you get one year older. But what that means for us is upon you to decide.

Time is personal and your year changes when your life changes.

But again, this is only one view on “time markers” and their meaning.

No sé cómo percibes tu tiempo o qué significado le das a tus cumpleaños, pero te deseo lo mejor para el futuro y espero que este año te haya dado todo lo que necesitabas y querías.

I don't know how you perceive your time or what meaning you make of your birthdays, but I know that I wish you all the best for the time to come and I hope that this year has given you all you needed and wanted.

¡Por los próximos años del cerdo y la rata, 2031 y 2032!

To the next years of the pig and the rat, 2031 and 2032!

Samuel

P.S.:

Here's an overview over all the Chinese Zodiacs with their characteristics and another one with their compatibilities. I wonder what you would find if you were to interview people about their characteristics and compatibilities and then try to connect that data to their zodiacs. Would you find coincidences or even correlations and causations?

(I first had this image on top but then exchanged it for the other one)